[K3] [Elecraft] Software suggestion: a more prominent TEST indicator

[drewko1 at verizon.net]

Nah, voice warnings are not effective. Most of us spend our days
ignoring the vocal clatter pouring from cellphones, tv's , radios,
etc. (CW ops, anyway...) 

What is needed is a switched relay on the K3 that would set off a
large fire alarm type bell. And maybe an electric jolt to the chair
seat for out-of-band operation...

Seriously, for people who don't see too well a couple of optional
audible annunciators might be useful. 

So tell me, why would a periodic warning chirp be any more silly than
a little "TX" icon flashing at 1/2-second intervals?

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:56:53 -0700 (PDT), Julian, G4ILO wrote:

>
>
>drewko1 wrote:
>> 
>> An inocuous chirp from the K3 every five seconds would be simpler than
>> a big CH-801 HP SWR meter, I think. (A chirp would take up far less
>> desk space as well.)
>> 
>Why stop at a chirp? Elecraft could make a voice synthesis module, like the
>ones in car sat-nav equipment. Whenever you key down, a user-selectable
>voice (Arnie Schwarzenegger? Margaret Thatcher?) could say "Warning. Test
>mode selected."
>
>Other warnings could save the user from making potentially expensive or
>simply embarrasing mistakes, like: "Warning: High SWR detected." or "Voice
>modes not permitted in the CW sub-band." It could even offer helpful pile-up
>breaking tips if it detects that you have been calling for several minutes
>on the same frequency.
>
>-----
>Julian, G4ILO  K3 s/n: 222 K2 s/n: 392
>G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
>KComm for K2/K3: www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html